


Back Pay Missing Scene

by oops_all_the_fandoms



Category: MASH (TV)
Genre: Episode Tag, Frustration, Gen, Headcanon, How Do I Tag, Maybe - Freeform, Missing Scene, Other Additional Tags to Be Added, Potter's Queasy Gizzard, Talking, episode s08e24 Back Pay, new at this
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-09-06
Updated: 2019-09-06
Packaged: 2020-10-10 23:38:07
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,187
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/20536526
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/oops_all_the_fandoms/pseuds/oops_all_the_fandoms
Summary: Colonel Potter has called Pierce into his office to talk about why Pierce is so incensed by stateside doctors being paid by the army.





	Back Pay Missing Scene

**Author's Note:**

> Hello to... well, anyone still active in this fandom! I'm new to an almost 50 year old show... This is my first stab at a MASH fic, I've been working on other things but this wouldn't leave me alone. I recommend watching the episode, or reading a synopsis to refresh your memory of the plot. I hope you enjoy! I welcome any and all feedback. Without further ado, we jump right in!

Potter followed Pierce into his office, passing the younger man to grab a bottle from his cabinet. Even with Winchester back on his feet thanks to some skillful acupuncture, the number of casualties who had come in was staggering. It always was. He turned back toward his desk and saw that Pierce had already taken the liberty to lounge across one of thee chairs in front of his desk. Sighing internally, he grabbed two glasses and took his own chair, pouring the amber liquid into each glass. He looked up and met the young doctor’s exhausted and accusing blue eyes. Potter prided himself on caring for all of his people and he felt this particular conversation was overdue. If he’d acted sooner maybe one way or another he could’ve preempted the conflict with the visiting captain, and the threat of criminal charges. But that milk had spilled, so to say, and they were here now. He took a sip before speaking.

“Pierce, you’re not in trouble. I could have thrown the book at you, but I understand your frustration. I know you don’t want to be here--”

“Like hell,” Pierce interrupted, the toll of the too-recent session outweighing his usual respect for Potter, “if I could be home right now I would! It’s not right…” he trailed off as he stood and began to pace, his own drink ignored on the table. Potter took another sip from his glass. He had always recognized Pierce’s passion as one of his most admirable qualities, but being opposed to it was never a comfortable position. And there were a couple ways this conversation might go…

“I know, that’s why I want to talk to you. You’ve been over here a long time, longer than most and I think that you should be recognized for that.”

Pierce froze in midstep. He slowly turned to face Potter and in a guarded tone asked, “What do you mean, ‘recognized’?” He loathed commendations and the only military statistic he wanted to be associated with was their success rate, over 97% of lives that came under his hospital’s care would make it. He physically shook his head to put the two boys they’d lost earlier that day out of his mind. _Rule number 2_ he reminded himself darkly.

Potter reached into his desk and pulled out an army form, stood, and handed it to Pierce, who leaned over to take it.

“_I, the undersigned, Sherman T Potter, in recognition of dedicated service and fulfillment of duties by one Officer B. F. Pierce, Captain, M.D., do submit the aforementioned officer for consideration for promotion to the rank of Major, with all the honors and benefits as which accompany such promotion_.”

Pierce read it once and blinked slowly. He read it a second time and felt his heart beating faster, he had to work to keep himself from shaking.

“I wanted to share it with you before I send it on to I-Corps." He paused, watching the wheels turning in the younger man's mind. He continued, prodding further, "A captain’s salary is not at all competitive with a doctor’s in the private sector and hell, a major’s isn’t that much better, but I though it could be a step toward proper compensation for your time here.” Potter finished speaking and studied Pierce’s reaction. Or rather, the lack thereof. The always animated man seemed suddenly statuesque. “Pierce?” he prompted, seeking a resolution to whatever it was that was bothering his chief surgeon.

“You thought I was actually concerned about the _money_?” Pierce asked softly, a quiet anger creeping into his tone. He was practically vibrating. “I came here as a surgeon. ‘Do no harm...’ War is harm, this, all THIS!” his voice rose and he gestured widely around the office, “is HARM! Oh, sure we put people back together but then we send them back! It’s a sick, twisted assembly line.” Potter stood back, listening. So this was what needed to come out. He felt his ‘gizzard’ finally start to settle, despite the continuing tirade from his subordinate.

“And what about us? Beej, Klinger, Margaret, Charles, me, YOU. You can’t tell me we aren’t changed, and I can tell you, it's not for the better. I’ve spent so. long. pulling bodies back from death or, or giving physicals to unending lines of enlisted men, I don’t remember what private practice is like! To know your patients and care about them, as individuals… We’re missing our lives over here. How much time have you actually spent with your wife, between your three wars? And after all that, you think I would want to be _promoted_, to have higher _authority_ in this… this Hell of our own creation, for a _raise_?!” He was seething, his grip tight on the sheet of paper in his hand, crinkling it along the edge. Too many unspoken thoughts from the past two years swam in his head and he found that he had no words to express them.

Potter took a couple beats to let Pierce’s words sink in and make sure he’d finished. Pierce's words struck a chord within him, the sincerity coming through the haze of exhaustion and heartbreak. He reminded himself that Pierce didn't mean to insult his career, he just couldn't understand the army. Potter knew the feeling well. As he formulated his response, he could physically see the adrenaline wearing off and Pierce slumped back into his seat, taking a couple deep breathes.

“It felt different. Before.” Potter spoke softly, knowing Pierce had said his piece and might be receptive, “When I first joined up we knew why we were fighting. We knew why it was important and what was at stake. Now," he was speaking into his glass, but he could feel Pierce shift to look at him. “I don’t know if I could be a career-man if I were just starting out now” he shook his head and looked up, making eye contact, “Son, I don’t understand it any better than you. And those stateside doctors, they can't even imagine. Doesn't make it right, what they do, but that doesn't change what we need to do, here.” He reached across the desk for the paperwork. Pierce hesitated for a moment, searching Potter’s face. He found his answer and knew, this was just a conversational catalyst. He handed the sheet back. Potter ripped it in half, and in half again before dumping it in the trash.

This conversation had never been about a promotion, or money. Pierce’s actions had never been about the money and Potter's offer made things a little clearer for him. His objections ran deeper than money, or the food, or the living conditions. The war was senseless and trying to make something fair out of it wasn’t going to change anything. He found that he was less agitated than when he'd first entered the office, though whether that was a product of letting off steam or just fatigue he wasn't sure. Maybe it was both.

“Thanks Colonel,” Pierce said, rising again to leave. Potter nodded back and raised his glass.

“Anytime, Doctor. Dismissed.”

**Author's Note:**

> I recently got into this show with my dad and one of the things he likes to point out as inaccurate (he likes most of the show and it’s mostly just a fun-fact type inaccuracy) is that Hawkeye should have increased in rank at some point during the show if he had been serving overseas for the entirety of the war. Don’t know if that’s true, but it inspired this little fic about perhaps why he hadn’t. I know Potter would know Pierce's feelings about all things military but he's trying to address the issue in the terms Pierce has been using: financial.
> 
> Also, I have no clue how military promotions come about, but I’m assuming Potter would’ve had a decent amount of control over who would have their name entered for promotions. I took creative license with the promotion “form.” 
> 
> Finally, just so you can get inside my head a bit, in the episode, this fits between Pierce wrapping the captain’s foot for $4 and grabbing a drink in the bar with BJ, paying with the same $4. They’d mentioned getting more casualties in, but this isn’t shown on screen, so I’m imagining that in this same time gap as well, directly before this conversation. Hope you enjoyed reading! Feel free to let me know what you thought in the comments!


End file.
